This week in PE we are warming up with jump rope and climbing the rock wall. This is the first time we will have used the rock wall this year and hope to get everyone involved and having a great time. Our rock wall at Osuna is a traverse wall which means the main focus is getting across not going up the wall. All students have the protection of a crash mat below if they have to come off the wall. Rock climbing is great for upper body strength and endurance.

For the primary grades, students will be challenged to make it across the entire wall without coming off. This is a difficult task because are rock wall spans the length of the gym and gets more difficult as you go down the wall. Older students will be given a similar challenge however it will be taken a step further as students will be challenged to only use certain colors of rocks as they make their way across the wall. Another challenge to be given will be to make it through a series of obstacles that will be placed on the wall. This week all students will be assessed on effort and NM state standard # 3 and 4.

This week in PE we are running the Pacer. The pacer is a cardiovascular endurance test that takes place in the gym. Students run across the gym to a prerecorded CD that beeps every 30 seconds. The beeps get faster as times goes on. If you do not make it to the other side of the gym before the CD beeps then you get a “Mistake,” you are allowed two mistakes and then your test is over. The Osuna pacer record was set last year by a 5th grader with 110 laps.

This year I will be doing the pacer two times, once in the fall and once in the spring to measure fitness and also possible improvement throughout the year. Students are encouraged to go as long as they can within their limit. We discuss cardiovascular endurance and pacing themselves prior to the test.

If any time remains at the end of class students will be allowed to jump rope or play helicopter. For more info about the pacer check out these links:

Students are participating in a PE favorite called battleship this week. It works on both the overhand and underhand throw. It also works on teamwork and game strategy. The object of the game is to sink everyone’s battleship before your own battleship is sunk. Ships are sunk when all their pins, lined up on the corners of the ship, are knocked down. Students must stay on their mat (battleship) unless they are the team’s dolphin, in which case they are on a scooter and retrieving balls (cannons) for their team. This game is very fast pasted and games only last 3-5 minutes. New dolphins are selected each time and strategy time is given to teams to discuss ways to protect their battleship while trying to sink others ships. Grades K-2 are assessed on underhand throwing and teamwork. Grades 3-5 are assessed on overhand throwing and teamwork. PE standards covered this week include standard 1 and standard 5.

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About Me

I am the physical education teacher at Osuna Elementary in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I am a big sports enthusiast; I love watching, playing but especially teaching and coaching sports. I am the JV baseball coach at Sandia High School. I also run a baseball academy called FUN-Damental Baseball School which helps kids 5 and up improve their baseball skills(for more info contact me at jtainter@hotmail.com). I enjoy spending time with my wife, my little brothers and the rest of my friends and family.